Method of and apparatus for rolling unsymmetrical shape element having the flange

ABSTRACT

Method of and apparatus for rolling an unsymmetrical shaped element having the flange, which comprises rolling, with at least one roll being driven forcedly, by a pair of vertical rolls each provided with an axis line lying on a perpendicular plane containing the line axes of respective horizontal rolls of each of the rolling mills, a plurality of sets of rolling mills being provided from the roughing rolling process to the finishing rolling process, or at least in the finishing rolling process.

United States Patent Kishikawa et al.

Dec. 2, 1975 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ROLLING UNSYMMETRICAL SHAPE ELEMENT HAVING THE FLANGE Inventors: Kanichi Kishikawa; Koe Nakajima,

both of Kitakyushu, Japan Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation, Tokyo,

Japan Filed: Apr. 2, 1975 Appl. No.: 564,630

Related US. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 431,604, Jan, 8, 1974, abandoned.

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 12, 1973 Japan 48-6353 Janv 12, 1973 Japan 48-6354 US. Cl. 72/225; 72/249 Int. Cl. B21B 13/10 Field of Search 72/225, 249, 237

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 410,106 8/1889 Kennedy et al 72/225 1,385,644 7/1921 Roberts 72/225 1,788,693 1/1931 Stuting 72/224 3,368,380 2/1968 Pawalkat 72/237 Primary ExaminerMilton S. Mehr Attorney, Agent, or FirmWenderoth, Lind & Ponack [57] ABSTRACT Method of and apparatus for rolling an unsymmetrical shaped element having the flange, which comprises rolling, with at least one roll being driven forcedly, by a pair' of vertical rolls each provided with an axis line lying on a perpendicular plane containing the line axes of respective horizontal rolls of each of the rolling mills, a plurality of sets of rolling mills being provided from the roughing rolling process to the finishing rolling process, or at least in the finishing rolling process.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures us. Patent 5661,19 5" Sheena; 3,922,900

US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 BENDING OF ROLLED MATERIALS (mmI Sheet 3 of 3 H6. 5

40 E Z n: DIAMETER VER- 30 P61 TICAL ROLL 25 x---:: I g? A--AI uJ 5 P E3 PASS NUMBER PERIPHERAL SPEED OF VERTICAL ROLL 2 PERIPHERAL SPEED OF HORIZONTAL ROLL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ROLLING UNSYMMETRICAL SHAPE ELEMENT HAVING THE FLANGE This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 431,604, filed Jan. 8, 1974, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for rolling an unsymmetrical shaped element having a flange, and more particularly to a method of and an apparatus for rolling material having an unsymmetrical cross-sectional contour due to the flange having a T-shape, an angle with unequal legs and thickness or an H-shape having different flange thicknesses.

As for the rolling of steel members having equal thickness of the flanges, such as H-shape members, the known method used a plurality of universal rolling mills, each having upper and lower horizontal rolls and a pair of vertical rolls so journalled as to have their axes lie on a plane perpendicular to a plane defined by the axes of the horizontal rolls. Generally, the horizontal rolls are rotated by the rotation force supplied from a driving motor through a spindle, and the vertical rolls follow the movement of the to-be-rolled material in contact therewith, with no particular driving device for the vertical rolls. In the case of rolling symmetrical shaped elements such as I-I-shaped elements (having flanges of equalthicknesses), the most popular method is the the universal rolling mill of the roll rotation type as mentioned above, the operation of which is made easier by the adjustment of the spreading ratio between the flange portion and the web portion of the to-berolled material.

However, in the case of rolling an unsymmetrical shape, e.g., a T-shape with a flange on only one side, an angle with unequal legs and thicknesses, or an H-shape having flanges of different thicknesses, the conventional universal rolling mill with the following type of vertical rolls, can not avoid bending, twisting or waving of the rolled material, even by the adjustment of the draft ratio between the flange portion and the web portion, during the passage of the to-be-rolled material through the rolls.

In other words, trouble-free passage cannot be expected, thus making it difficult to products rolled product of desired shape on an industrial scale.

Such bending, twisting or waving may occur even when rolling with a high groove rolling mill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a method of rolling an unsymmetrical shaped element having a flange without bending, twisting or waving of the to-be-rolled material during the rolling operation, thus making it possible to accurately produce a roller shape of desired accurate size.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of rolling an unsymmetrical shape, having a flange, in stable and balanced rolling conditions, at high productivity. V

A further object of the presentinvention is to provide a universal rolling mill for rolling 'an unsymmetrical shape having a flange for effectively carrying out the method of the present invention.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed explanation and embodiment.

In order to achieve the abovementioned objects, the method of the present invention is so characterized that over the whole course of the rolling operation from the roughing rolling process to the finishing rolling process, or at least in the finishing rolling process, rolling is achieved with at least one of a pair of vertical rolls being forcedly driven. The vertical rolls have their axes in a perpendicular plane containing the axes of respective horizontal rolls of each of the rolling mills, of which a plurality of sets may be provided.

The rolling mill of the present invention is so characterized that in a universal rolling mill having upper and lower horizontal rolls and a pair of vertical rolls journaled so as to have their axes in a perpendicular plane containing the axes of the horizontal rolls, and installed removably on a housing, at least one of the vertical rolls is connected with a driving device provided at an appropriate position on the housing or a yoke thereof. The non-driven vertical roll is mounted on a supporting member provided in the housing or the yoke, so as to follow the movement of to-be-rolled material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the arrangement of universal rolling mills over an entire rolling operation for carrying out rolling according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the arrangement of universal rolling mills for rolling an unsymmetrical shape having a flange according to the present invention in the finishing rolling process.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section of a universal rolling mill for the practice of the present invention on the axis line of the horizontal roll.

FIG. '4 is a schematic view of another embodiment of a universal rolling mill of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the bonding of the materials rolled respectively by the method of the present invention and the conventional method.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the irregularity of a rolled shaped element, such is due to-be-rolled to the unsmooth passage of to-be-rolled material through rolls of the rolling mills and, the fundamental cause lies in the difference in rolling speed between the flange portion of the material rolled by following vertical rolls and the web position of the material rolled by driven horizontal rolls. Such difference may be ascribed to the operation conditions of respective portions. While the rolling of the web portion is subjected to the same principle as the known principle applicable to the rolling of a sheet, the rolling of the flange portion is governed by the theory of die rolling. Particularly, the deformation zone of the flange portion subjected to rolling with vertical rolls sees no forward slip action according to the rolling theory, therefore, necessarily causing the difference in delivery 'speedbetween the web portion and the flange portion,

such difference causing the rolled material to bend, twist or wave.

In order to compensate for the difference in rolling speed between the flange portion and the web portion of the mate ial rolled, the present invention provides that of a pair of vertical rolls at least one is driven by an appropriate driving device, which vertical roll is for the flange portion of rolled material having a flange on only one side thereof, i.e. having a flange of zero thickness on the other side, or which is for the flange portion of greater thickness of rolled material having flanges on both sides, thereby making such one of the vertical rolls rotate at the same rotation speed as the horizontal rolls. When rolling material having flanges on both sides, the both vertical rolls may be driven.

FIG. 1 shows one example of the arrangement of rolling mills for rolling a steel shape having a flange on one side through the roughing rolling process, the intermediate rolling process and the finishing rolling process, with universal rolling mills arranged in series, which have one of a pair of vertical rolls driven forcedly according to the present invention. In the figure, H indicates a horizontal roll; V and V indicate vertical rolls, respectively, one of which rotates due to the contact with the material and the other of which (shown in hatched lines) is driven by a driving device.

The number of rolling mills is not necessarily as shown therein, but as many as required for the purpose or the size of the rolled shape may be provided.

FIG. 2 shows the rolling an unsymmetrical steel shape having a flange on one side, the whole course of which is divided into three sections, the first one with roughing universal rolling mills RU as the initial shaping process, the second one with groove rolling mills KR as the intermediate shaping process, and the last one to roll the material having rolled in the first and the second processes, with finishing universal rolling mills FU having one of a pair of vertical rolls driven forcedly.

Then, the universal rolling mill having one of a pair of vertical rolls driven forcedly according to the present invention, is explained, as follows:

FIG. 3 is a sketch of the vertical cross-section along the axis of the horizontal rolls, of the universal rolling mill according to the present invention. Numeral 2 indicates the post of the housing 1 of the universal rolling mill, which post is fixedly installed on a sole plate 3 provided on the foundation, with such known installation means as anchor bolts 4. Numeral 5 indicates a yoke provided removably on the housing post 2 to house for free rotation the upper and the lower horizontal rolls 6 and 7 which respectively contact the web W of the material S and a pair of vertical rolls 8 and 10 journaled on the same perpendicular plane as the horizontal rolls. Numeral 8 indicates the driven vertical roll contacting the flange portion (F) of the material having the flange on one side, which roll 8 has pinions 12 provided respectively at the upper and the lower ends of the shaft (not shown) holding the driven vertical roll body 9, and which roll is inserted in one of a pair of holding members, that is, holding chuck 13 (provided for free sliding on yoke 5 to face each other so as to interpose the material therebetween). Numeral 14 indicates a driving gear having, a central groove 15 for receiving vertical roll body 9, which gear 14 is engaged with the pinions 12, and is mounted for free rotation on the holding chock l3. Numeral 16 indicates the driving shaft of the driving gear 14, and is fixed to such driving gear with setting means such as a key 17. Shaft 16 is connected with a spindle 19 through a universal joint 18 provided at the end of a driving force transmission mechanism, and also with a vertical roll driving motor 25 through a reduction gear 24 provided on projection 23 from the stand cap formed at the top of the housing 1 by means of shaft 21 having opposite ends respectively connected with a universal joint 20 and a bevel gear 22. Numeral 26 indicates a screwdown mechanism for the driven vertical roll 8, and has one end on the back side of the holding chuck l3 and the other end connected with an appropriate type of a screwdown mechanism advancing and returning device (not illustrated) such as an electric motor outside the end of the yoke, so that the driven vertical roll 8 is made freely movable in a direction perpendicular to a pass line through the holding chuck 13. Numeral 10 indicates a following vertical roll, the body 11 of which is journaled, through the shaft 27, on the other of the pair of the supporting members, i.e. the holding chuck 28, for free rotation. Numeral 29 indicates a screwdown mechanism for the following vertical roll 10, having one end on the back side of the holding chuck 28 and the other end connected with an appropriate type of a screwdown medhanism advancing and returning device (not illustrated) such as an electric motor outside the end of the yoke 5, so that the following vertical roll 10 is made freely movable in the direction perpendicular to a pass line through a holding chuck 28. Numerals 30 indicate horizontal roll spindles. Numeral 31 indicates the pinion stand. Numeral 32 indicates the horizontal roll driving motor. These are connected by means of joints (not illustrated). Numeral 33 indicates a screwdown mechanism for the horizontal roll 6.

The abovementioned embodiment represents the case where the upper and the lower horizontal rolls 6, 7 and the driven and the following vertical rolls 8, 10 are enclosed in the yoke 5 and removably installed in the housing 1. The practice of the present invention is not limited to such embodiment, so that the present invention can be applied to the case where each pair of the horizontal and the vertical rolls are directly installed on the housing 1, Regarding the yoke 5 installed in the housing 1 as shown in FIG. 3, the portions thereof projecting from the housing 1 may each constitute separate yoke portions. In these yoke portions, there may be slidably provided holding chucks 13, 28 for journaling, respectively, the driven vertical roll 8 and the following vertical roll 10, and the driven vertical roll 8 may be connected with the rotation transmission mechanism.

Thus the same effect as is obtainable from the abovementioned construction, can be obtained.

Also, in the abovementioned embodiment, the (elements of the driving system of the driven vertical roll 18 such as the driving motor 25 and the reduction gear 24 are provided in the portion 23 projecting from the stand cap in the head of the housing 1, so as to drive the driven vertical roll 8 through the rotation transmitting mechanism. According to the present invention, the arrangement of the members of the driving system is not limited to that described above, so that, for example, the driving device may be installed at the end of the yoke 5 for driving the driven vertical roll 8 through the rotation transmission mechanism, or any other means may be used so long as it is not beyond the purpose of the present invention.

It makes no difference in effect obtained from the rolling of an unsymmertrical rolled shape having a flange on one side as to which of the vertical rolls is driven. But since the driving system for the upper and the lower horizontalrolls 6, 7 is provided on the drive side thereof, the ,use. as the driven roll of the vertical rollon the drive side of the horizontal rolls makes the driving system mechanically complicated, and makes roll changing and the'maintenance of the driving system difficult. Therefore, the vertical roll on the work side (the non-driving side) -ofthe horizontal rolls is preferrably driven.

In the case ofrolling an unsymmetrical rolled shape by using the universal rolling mill according to the present invention, the upper and the lower horizontal rolls 6, 7 and the driven and the following vertical rolls 8, 10 are set at positions prescribed according to the size of to-be-rolled material, in the same manner as in conventional methods.

Further according to the present invention, the upper and the lower horizontal rolls 6, 7 are driven by the driving motor 32, and the driven vertical roll 8 is driven by the driving motor 25, through respective rotation transmission mechanisms, and the rotation thereof is adjusted to make the delivery speed of the web the same as that of the flange.

In the embodiment described as below, there if used a universal rolling mill, both of the two vertical rolls of which are driven. Also, in this rolling mill, there are provided driving systems (such as driving shafts) respectively for the horizontal rolls and the vertical rolls,

so as not to cross each other. In other words, as shown in FIG. 4, the driving side, of each of the upper and the lower horizontal rolls are oppositely positioned, and on the non-driving sides of each of the respective horizontal rolls are provided the driving devices of the respective vertical rolls. This arrangement provides for smooth rolling of elements such as an l-l-shaped steel element having an unsymmetrical cross-sectional contour with different thicknesses of the flanges.

This arrangement also can be applied to an I-I-shaped steel element having a symmetrical cross-sectional contour.

In FIG. 4 numeral 106 indicates the upper horizontal roll; 107 indicates the lower horizontal roll; numerals 108 and 110 indicate respective driven vertical rolls; numerals 131 and 131 indicate driving motors, respectively, of the upper and the lower horizontal rolls; numerals 125 and 125' indicate driving motors of respective vertical rolls; and numerals 114 and 114' indicate gears for driving the vertical rolls.

The following is a description of an embodiment of the method of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, rolling with a driven vertical roll caused the rolled object to bend an amount less than half to a quarter the amount when rolling with vertical rolls which follow the movement of the object. In the figure, the lengthof the object was 300 mm for the first pass, 350 mm for the second pass and 400 mm for the third pass.

Bending, twisting or waving can successfully be controlled in the rolling of shaped steel elements, such as an angle with unequal legs and thicknesses, by appropriate adjustment of the ratio between the peripheral speeds of the horizontal rolls and the vertical rolls, and of the rolling reduction made by the vertical rolls on the material, so that the spreading ratio of the web part and that of the flange part become equal.

As mentioned above, the present invention is so constructed that one of a pair of vertical rolls of the universal rolling mill is driven by a driving device, with no difference in delivery speed betwen the flange and the web of the rolled shape, thus overcoming the irregularity of the shaping operation which may occur during the passage of to-be-rolled material through the rolls. This makes it possible to roll an unsymmetrical shape having a flange on one side with high accuracy. The

6 practice of the present invention on an industrial scale contributes very much to the industry from the standpoints of improved quality control and increased pro duction yield.

We claim 1. In a method of rolling an unsymmetrical material having at least one flange through a rolling operation performed on the material, including the steps of roughing rolling, intermediate rolling, and finishing rolling the material, the finishing rolling step being performed by a pair of horizontal and a pair of vertical rollers, at least one of said vertical rolls contacting said at least one flange, the improvement which comprises:

aligning the axes of the vertical rolls to intersect the axes of the horizontal rolls; and

shaping the material by driving only the vertical roller contacting the flange by a driving means, when one flange is provided, and driving only the vertical roll contacting the flange portion of greater thickness when two flanges are provided.

2. A universal rolling mill for rolling material having an unsymmetrical shape with at least one flange, said mill comprising:

a housing;

a pair of horizontal rolls mounted on said housing;

a driving device operatively coupled to said horizontal rolls for rotating said horizontal rolls;

a pair of vertical rolls contacting the at least one flange and so mounted on said housing as to have the axis lines thereof lying on a perpendicular plane containing the axis lines of said horizontal rolls;

said horizontal and vertical rolls respectively positioned to be on opposite sides of said material; and

a driving device operatively coupled for rotating only one of said pair of vertical rolls, when one flange is provided, said driven vertical roll being the roll contacting said flange, and when more than one flange is provided, said driven vertical roll being the roll contacting the flange of greater thickness.

3. A universal rolling mill for rolling material having an unsymmetrical shape with at least one flange, said mill comprising:

a housing;

a yoke removably installed in said housing;

a pair of horizontal rolls mounted on said housing;

a driving device operatively coupled to said horizontal rolls for rotating said horizontal rolls;

a pair of vertical rolls;

at least one of said vertical rolls contacting said at least one flange and so mounted on said yoke as to have axis lines lying on a perpendicular plane containing the axis lines of said horizontal rolls; and

a driving device operatively coupled for rotating one of said vertical rolls, when one flange is provided, said driven vertical roll being the roll contacting said flange, and when more than one flange is provided, said driven vertical roll being the roll contacting the flange of greater thickness.

4. A universal rolling mill for rolling material having an unsymmetrical shape with at least one flange, said mill comprising:

a housing;

a yoke removably installed in said housing;

a pair of horizontal rolls mounted on said housing;

a driving device operatively coupled for rotating said horizontal rolls;

a pair of holding chucks slidably mounted on said yoke;

said holding chucks facing each other for interposition of material to be rolled;

a pair of vertical rolls, at least one contacting said at least one flange and so mounted on respective holding chucks as to have axis lines lying on a perpendicular plane containing the axis lines of said horizontal rolls; and

a driving device operatively coupled for rotating one of said pair of vertical rolls, when one flange is provided, said driven vertical roll being the roll contacting said flange and when more than one flange is provided, said driven vertical roll being the roll contacting the flange of greater thickness. 

1. In a method of rolling an unsymmetrical material having at least one flange through a rolling operation performed on the material, including the steps of roughing rolling, intermediate rolling, and finishing rolling the material, the finishing rolling step being performed by a pair of horizontal and a pair of vertical rollers, at least one of said vertical rolls contacting said at least one flange, the improvement which comprises: aligning the axes of the vertical rolls to intersect the axes of the horizontal rolls; and shaping the material by driving only the vertical roller contacting the flange by a driving means, when one flange is provided, and driving only the vertical roll contacting the flange portion of greater thickness when two flanges are provided.
 2. A universal rolling mill for rolling material having an unsymmetrical shape with at least one flange, said mill comprising: a housing; a pair of horizontal rolls mounted on said housing; a driving device operatively coupled to said horizontal rolls for rotating said horizontal rolls; a pair of vertical rolls contacting the at least one flange and so mounted on said housing as to have the axis lines thereof lying on a perpendicular plane containing the axis lines of said horizontal rolls; said horizontal and vertical rolls respectively positioned to be on opposite sides Of said material; and a driving device operatively coupled for rotating only one of said pair of vertical rolls, when one flange is provided, said driven vertical roll being the roll contacting said flange, and when more than one flange is provided, said driven vertical roll being the roll contacting the flange of greater thickness.
 3. A universal rolling mill for rolling material having an unsymmetrical shape with at least one flange, said mill comprising: a housing; a yoke removably installed in said housing; a pair of horizontal rolls mounted on said housing; a driving device operatively coupled to said horizontal rolls for rotating said horizontal rolls; a pair of vertical rolls; at least one of said vertical rolls contacting said at least one flange and so mounted on said yoke as to have axis lines lying on a perpendicular plane containing the axis lines of said horizontal rolls; and a driving device operatively coupled for rotating one of said vertical rolls, when one flange is provided, said driven vertical roll being the roll contacting said flange, and when more than one flange is provided, said driven vertical roll being the roll contacting the flange of greater thickness.
 4. A universal rolling mill for rolling material having an unsymmetrical shape with at least one flange, said mill comprising: a housing; a yoke removably installed in said housing; a pair of horizontal rolls mounted on said housing; a driving device operatively coupled for rotating said horizontal rolls; a pair of holding chucks slidably mounted on said yoke; said holding chucks facing each other for interposition of material to be rolled; a pair of vertical rolls, at least one contacting said at least one flange and so mounted on respective holding chucks as to have axis lines lying on a perpendicular plane containing the axis lines of said horizontal rolls; and a driving device operatively coupled for rotating one of said pair of vertical rolls, when one flange is provided, said driven vertical roll being the roll contacting said flange and when more than one flange is provided, said driven vertical roll being the roll contacting the flange of greater thickness. 